New member – not diagnosed

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  • #72516
    jshu43
    Member

    Marion & Rain,
    Thanks for the response. I think I will go ahead and have gallbladder out. It seems everyone I ask think its a good thing to do.

    No, the first stricture was not biopsied. Nor the second. Don’t know about scarring after first ERCP. But my surgeon didnt indicate to me that he thought that was a possible cause.

    I have Lyme Disesse, I’m wondering if it could cause the strictures. Kind of an odd thought, but something is causing the strictures. If its not one if the known causes, and its not cancer, it’s a mystery.

    Another question. The surgeon talked about putting in stents. He mentioned they could be put in during surgery or another ERCP. How do they determine that? Maybe I should have them done at same time of removing gallbladder?

    Oh, another question – do the brushings aggravate things? Is there a greater chance of pancreatitis? Thanks!

    #72515
    rain
    Member

    Hi,

    Again as with Marion this is a layman’s advice however believe your doctors are doing the right thing in ensuring there is a complete work up to understand why you have repeated stones in the bile duct.

    I also believe it is a good idea to have the gallbladder out and then the surgeons will likely monitor you with ERCPs to see if stone’s reform.

    Ensure you also always get second opinions as well.

    I wish you all the best

    #72514
    marions
    Moderator

    jshu43….welcome to our site. I am not a physician hence, everything I say derives from a layman’s perspective. Like you, I believe that a cancerous stricture would have been accompanied by other symptoms. I am wondering: was the narrowed bile duct tissue biopsied? I would also be interested in finding out whether scarring occurred causing the current, repeated narrowing of the duct. What are your blood test results?
    Hugs,
    Marion

    #8417
    jshu43
    Member

    Hi! I’m a new member and looking for information.

    I have not been diagnosed and don’t have any jaundice or itching, etc. But my doctor is suspicious for cancer and has me scheduled for tests.
    Last Christmas I had pretty painful bouts in my right side and upper right back. I went to ER and they did an MRCP and came rushing in saying I had stones in my bile duct, sludge in my gallbladder and a bile duct stricture.

    Actually I wasn’t concerned because I had had a bile duct stricture 5 years prior. The doctor did an ERCP and snipped it open and that was that. I didn’t have any factors that they could say why I had the strictures. I have my gallbladder, no chronic pancreatitis, etc. the GI after first stricture said it was odd but I would never have it again. Well, obviously that was wrong.

    So I had ERCP and they took stones out and opened stricture.

    But in the meantime, they sent in liver, pancreas, bile duct surgeon. He feels I need another ERCP and do some brushings. He had another MRCP done and I have a stone in bile duct – new since Christmas.
    He wants me to have my gallbladder out and then possibly put in some stents.

    I feel that if I had another stricture 5 years ago, it’s not a big deal, especially since I don’t have jaundice or itching.
    But I’m doing research and hoped I can get done good advice here!

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